Steam-heating apparatus.



M. P. OSBOURN. STEAM HEATING APPABATUSY APPLICATION FILED JUNE 4,1908.

Patented Fem, 1909.

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with eo oao wmwi/ STATES PATENT OFFICE. MILLABD'P. OF lilERCHANTVILLE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO WARREN WEBSTER dz COMPANY, A CORPORAT ION OF NEW JERSEY.

. To all' whom, it concern: i

' Jersey,

STE AMI-HE ATIN APPARATUS.

Be it known that I, MILLARD P. Osnonim,

a citizen of the United States, and resident of Merchantville, Camden county, State of New have invented an Improvement in Steam-Heating Apparatus, of .whichtheiol lowing is a specification.

.My invention has reference to steam heatmg apparatus, and consists of certain improvements which are*fully set forth in the fbllowing specification and shown in the ac companying drawings "which form a part thereof.

In vacuum systems of steamheating the water of condensation from the returns is dispump and usually returned therefrom directly or by means. of a boiler feed pump to I the boiler.

The object of mypresent invention is to provide automatic means within the receiving tank apressure below a predetermined amount, by rmitting escape of all accumulations 0- air vf om the tank which. cause an excess thereof, andlikewise permitting an automatic discharge; et," the accumulation of water of condensationin such degree as to restore a normal levelin' under. the pressure existing in 'the tankin'case of excessive rise in the water.

level thereof, said water being1 discharged delivered into the boiler 01' otherplace of. de-

' iv 'yy s may b re uired.

By my invention, am enabled to provide.

an adequate air pressure, through theag'ency of thevacuum-pump, which may be'utili'zed in place of a hydrostatic pressure heretofore secured by placing the receiving tank atga considerable elevation, to provide a ressure in the receiving tank capable of .de ivering the water againstthe pressure existing in the steani boiler, a result most useful when, from structural difficulties of the'buildin the receiving-tank must be located in t e Jbase- 1meiit, approximately on a'level with the My invention consists ofa heatin'gsyste m. having a vacuum pump .for withdrawing the air, and water if. desired, from the, system,

combined with a (closed receivingfltanle fpr water andair, a regulatedescapejer -,.rel'1ef ;t

valve for air to relieve thepressureiwithin the tank, when it exceeds a predetermined amount, a valved dischargepipe frpm the lower portion of the tank for wategand. a

Specification of Letters Patent. Application filcd June 4, 190a; ski-in n 436,536.

indicated at for preserving e tank and i -.This disc arge "adjustable-link 14 with the lever 12 which Patented Feb; 9, 1909.

float or other device controlledby variation in-the level 'of the water the tank to regulatethe discharge of the water into the boiler or other place of reception.

My invention also comprehends details of construction which, together-with the fea- ,tures 'above set forth, will be better under-; stood by reference to the drawings, in whichm- Figure'l, is a diagram illustrating asteam heating system embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is an elevation of'a portion of the steam heating ap aratus on a larger scale;

Fig. 3 is a sectiona 'Fplan view through the receivin tank; and ig. 4 is aseotional elevation 0 the adjustable pressure relief valve.

.- '2' is a steam supply pipe leading from a boiler 5, for supplying Steam to the radiators,

4. and air passes from the radiators intothe return pipe 3, which leads down to the vacuum pump-6, said vacuum pump discharging by The water of condensation pipe 7- into a closed receivingtank 8. Ordi-.

narily, the return pipe 3, is connected with the vacuum pump 6,, through a suitable strainer, and'any va ors or steam may be leondensed by a jet 0 water from a pipe, 15 having a regulating valve 16.. The general system above outlined may be of -any ordinary construction. Y The water of condensation, received in the receiving tank ,8 from the vacuum is returned to the boiler 5 by a pi' e 8, and is rovided with a discharge valve-10; valve 10 is connected by an pum 8; 4 9w chconnects with the lower-part0 the tank may be'counterwei hted, asat 13. This} lever is secured to t e rock shaft 17, which extends througha suitable box into the interior'of-the receiving tank 8. The rock sliaft 17 is connected with a float 11 within the'tank so that the variation in the level of the water within the said tank will'cause the float to rise g r fall and rock the lever 12, to

open or close the discharge valve 10. It will thus be seen that, if the level of the water peifmit the water to passfrom tank8t roughtlie pipe into the boiler.

{By this meanaall excessive quantities of .-water delivered within the tank 8-by the pipe 7, areicaused to be automatically discharged through the valve 10.

The vacuum pump 6 discharges both air and water into the tank 8, and the air being elastic provides an air pressure above the water within the tank, which pressure is regulatedby the valve 19 to be amaximum sufficient to insure the discharge of the water from the tank 8 into the boiler 5 againstthe pressure within said boiler.

The construction of the valve 19 is illustrated in Fig. 4, and consists of'avalve piece 20, which is pressed down upon its seat by spring 21. The pressure of this spring may be variedby the adjustment of the screw stem 22. Whenever the pressure in the tank becomes greater than the pressure of the spring 21, acting upon the valve piece 20, the latter will be raised to permit an escape of the air from the tank until the normal maximum ressure therein isregained, when the va ve iece 20 again seats itself, and maintains the pressure desired Within the tank. This valve 19, discharges by pipe 18 to the atmosphere or sewer. By adjusting the screw stem 22, the pressure within the tank S'may be .maintained at any pressure desired, said regulation being lar ely dependent upon the pressure of the bo' er to be overcome.

By the construction herein shown, I am enabled to locate the receiving tank 8 in the basement, or 'on substantially the level of the boiler, instead of locating the receiver at a high elevation, and depending u on the static head-of water as ameans of o taining the pressure for insuring the feeding of the water to the boiler against the boiler pressure, the advantage of my construction being the compactness of the apparatus and wholly obviating the necessity of finding space in the upper floors of the building for the receiving tank. I further secure the advantage of being able to vary the discharge pressure in the tank to suit any change in the boiler pressure found desirable or neces-.

sary to-suit the conditions of steam circulation.

I have shown my apparatus in the form which I have found it most excellently adapted for commercial use, but it is evident that the details may be modified in various wa s solongas automatic means are provided for maintaining a constant air pressure within the receiving tank, and the discharge of the water from the receiving tank is controlled by the level of the water within the tank- Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and'desire to secure by Letters Patent, is: 1

1. In a steam heating system, the combination of steam heating apparatus combined witha return pipe, a pump connected with the return pipe, a closed receiving tank, a pipe connecting the pump with thereceiving tank for discharging therein water of condensation and air from the heating apparatus, a relief valve on the receiving tank for limiting the pressure therein, a discharge pipe from the tank for the water, means controlled by the water within the tank to permit the discharge of the water when an excessive accumulation thereof takes place within the tank. I

2. In a steam heating system, the combination of steam heating apparatus combined with a return pipe, a pump connected with the return pipe, a closed receiving tank, a pipe connecting the pump with the receiving tank for discharging therein water of condensation and air from the heating apparatus, a relief valve on the receiving tank for limiting the pressure therein, a discharge pipe-from the tank for the water, means controlled by the water within the tank to permit the discharge of the water when an excessive accumulation thereoftakes place within the tank, a boiler to supply steam to the heating apparatus, and a connection between the discharge pipe and the boiler whereby the water-discharged from the re ceiving tank is delivered into the boiler against the boiler pressure.

3. In a steam heating system, the combination of steam heating apparatus combined with a return pipe, a pump connected with the return pipe, a closed receiving tank, a pipe connecting the pump with the receiving tank for discharging therein water of condensation and air from the heating apparatus, an adjustable relief valve on the receiving tank for limiting the pressure therein and whereby the normal maximum pressure within the receiving tank may be varied, a discharge pipe from the tank for the water, means controlled by the water within the tank to permit the discharge of thereof takes place within the tank.

4. In a steam heating system, the combination of steam heating apparatus com bined with a return pipe, a pump connected with the return pipe, a closed receiving tank, a pipe connecting the pump with the receiving tank for discharging therein water of condensation and air from the heating apparatus, a relief valve on the receiving tank for limiting the pressure therein, a discharge pipe from the tank for the water, means controlled by the water within the tank to permit the discharge of the water when an excessive accumulation thereof takes place within the tank consisting of a valve, lever mechanism to open or close the valve and a float for operating the lever mechanism. 7

5. In a steam heating system the combination of the return pipe, a vacuum pump connected therewith, a closed receiving tank. into which the vacuum pump discharges, a valved discharge pipe leading the water when an excessive accumulation t mer water is discharged by the pressure in the tank produced by the pum and float actuated mechanismpontrolle by the level of the water in the receiving tank for operating the valve of the discharge pipe.

6. In a steam heating system the combination of the return pipe, a vacuum pump connected therewith, a closed receiving tank into which the vacuum pum discharges under pressure, means for re ieving excessive pressure within the receiving tank,

a valved discharge pipe leading from the receiving't'ank through which water is discharged by the pressure in the tank produced by the pump, and float actuated mechanism controlled by the level of the water in the receiving tank foroperating the valve of the discharge pipe. Y

7. In a steam heating system the combination of the return pipe, a vacuum pum connected, therewith, a closed receiving tan into which the vacuum pump discharges, means for maintaining a pressure within the receiving tank, means for adjusting the maximum limit of the pressure, a valved discharge pipe leading from the receiving tank through which water is discharged by the pressure in the tank produced by the pump, and float actuated mechanism con- -discharge pipe.

trolled by. the level of the water in the receiving tank for operating the'valve of the 8.- In a steam heating system, the combination of a boiler, heating devices supplied with steam from the boiler and provided with a return pipe,- a vacuum pump connected with the return pipe for maintaining a partial vacuum therein, and automatic means interposed between the discharge of the vacuum pump and the boiler for delivering the water of condensation intermittently to the boiler against the boiler pressure whenever said water of condensation accumulates consisting of a tank into which the water of condensation is pum ed and from which the water flows to the b01161 and normally under greater pressure than the boiler pressure, and means controlled by thelevel of the water in the tank to control the flow of the water from the tank to the boiler without the intervention of] a pump. p

In testimony of which invention, I have hereunto set my hand.

MILLARD P. OSBOURN.

Witnesses:

MARY E. LErssE, T. M. BRUSTER. 

